Motivated Nitithorn on brink of joining elite three-peat club
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, one of the players of the year so far on the Asian Tour, will attempt to join an elite group of golfers who have won three Asian Tour titles in a single season this week when he competes in the US$700,000 Yeangder TPC, at Linkou International Golf and Country Club, in Taipei.
Having banked The DGC Open presented Mastercard in New Delhi in March for a much-celebrated first victory on Tour and the International Series Singapore in August the 25 year old has been a revelation and his growing fan base is excited to see what will happen next.
His breakthrough season has also seen him move into third place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and fourth on the International Series Order of Merit, and with a wealth of tournaments remaining there is no doubt that finishing 2022 number one is a real possibility.
However, any realisation of that is being tempered by a cautious approach.
Said the Thai: “I think for me, I’m thinking about catching up on the Order of Merit, it’s in my plans too, but I don’t want to think about it that much. I think it motivates me a lot, but I don’t want to think about it that much during the tournament rounds, because I think if I think about that a lot, it’s gonna ruin my game if you know what I mean?
“So, this week, I just try to focus on my game as much as I can. I never thought about it until I’m in this position right now.”
Only seven players have won three titles in a single season since the Asian Tour was launched in 2004, and many of them are household names: Miguel Angel Jimenez (2004), Tetsuji Hiratsuka (2010), Lee Westwood (2011), Thaworn Wiratchant (2012), Scott Hend (2013), Shiv Kapur (2017), and John Catlin (2018).
Nitithorn Thippong. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
And just two players have triumphed four times: Thailand’s Thaworn (2005) and his countryman Jazz Janewattananond (2019).
American Sihwan Kim is the only other player to have enjoyed victory twice this year, having won the International Series Thailand, and Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge, also in Thailand.
This week is a landmark moment for the Asian Tour as it is returning to Chinese-Taipei for the first time in three years following the global pandemic.
Competitors from overseas had to quarantine for three days upon arrival, while this week’s event will adhere to bubble protocols with players required to stay within the limits of the hotel and golf club.
“Three days Quarantine is okay,” said Nitithorn.
“Did nothing, just watching Netflix and play games and practice a little bit. But I don’t know, right now it’s still like a quarantine because we cannot go out anywhere right, just golf course and hotel. I saw the 7-Eleven in front of the hotel, it’s like you can go, but you cannot go you know what I mean? It’s boring a little bit but it’s okay. Just come out, play golf and then go back.”
Nitithorn, nicknamed ‘Fever’, first rose to prominence in 2018, when he claimed the PGM Penang Championship on the Asian Development Tour – where he has mainly played since turning professional in 2015, until a never to be forgotten 2022.
His compatriot Tirawat Kaewsiribandit is also competing this week. He narrowly missed out on a surprise victory in the Shinhan Donghae Open in Japan two weeks ago: he led at the halfway mark and after round three but despite recording an Albatross on the third hole during the final round he eventually finished in a tie for second place.
“I think the week in Japan is passed already, now I’m focused on this tournament to improve my ranking this year,” said Tirawat.
“Now my ranking is better and I’m more relaxed and more confident because I played well in Japan.
“Before coming here, I just relaxed and go to physio, because from Japan to Thailand it’s a long fight. I practised with my coach a little bit to check up on my swing again.”
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Both Nitithorn and Tirawat will attempt to emulate Prom Meesawat and Thaworn by joining them as the only players from The Kingdom to win the Yeangder TPC.
Prom, who is also competing this week, lifted the trophy in 2014, while Thaworn was victorious in 2010 and 2013 – the two wins contributing to his record haul of 18 Asian Tour titles.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang says he has some significant goals to achieve at the Yeangder TPC – which starts Thursday at Linkou International Golf and Country Club – and next week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, but there is also one thing on his mind more than anything else and that is the fact the Asian Tour is finally back in his country after almost exactly three years!
The global pandemic put paid to any chance of the Tour visiting the country since its last stop here for the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in October of 2019 – when Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai secured his maiden Tour title.
“We have waited a long time for this due to the pandemic,” said Chan.
“I’m glad it’s finally happening. I’m very excited to play this week. I hope I’m ready to bring my best game. As you know, traveling isn’t as convenient as before so I’m really cherishing the opportunities to play on home soil. The game’s feeling good. I won a charity event last week so feeling confident and positive coming into this week.”
Indeed, the 36 year old’s game has been feeling good since the Tour’s restart after a 20-month COVID-19 enforced break at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in November last year. He won that event, for his first success on Tour in six years, by a shot from two of the region’s fast rising stars Joohyung Kim from Korea and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana.
Chan Shih-chang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He clearly enjoyed that taste of victory in the Land of Smiles so much that he won again there in February at the Royal’s Cup, played in Kanchanaburi, where Sadom again finished second, along with American Sihwan Kim.
Chan is currently the leading player from his country on the Tour’s Order of Merit list in 21st position and the International Series Order of Merit, where he is placed 31st.
One of his goals over the next two weeks is to take advantage of playing on home soil and make up ground on both those lists, while another is to add one very important item that is missing from his portfolio and that is a victory on the Asian Tour in Chinese-Taipei.
Three of his four victories have come in Thailand, as he also triumphed in the King’s Cup there in 2016; while two months after that he won the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Golf in Japan.
Said Chan: “I hope to make the most from these two weeks and boost my ranking on the Order of Merit. That’s been my main goal this season, especially after winning the Royal’s Cup and finishing top-five in Singapore last month. It will be great if I can win at home. It’s always been my goal as well. If I can do that, it will be meaningful for me.”
He has come close to winning at home before, including in the Yeangder TPC in 2019 when he was third; while his record on the Asian Development Tour, where three of his six wins have been in Chinese-Taipei, suggests a win at home is long overdue.
Chan Shih-chang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I have been consistent this year which is good,” added Chan.
“I hope I can continue to stay consistent till the end of the year. But, of course, I will try my best to win these two weeks. I have had some good finishes here at Linkou International. My focus will be on the greens this week, it will come down to putting, that will be the key to success. I will also put more focus on wind direction as well, just try and double check out that as it will play a part as well.”
He has also engaged the services of a friend to caddie for him this week, which spells trouble for the rest of the field as the friend is also a professional, while his home course is Linkou International.
“He knows this course well, especially the greens. Hopefully, we will spark some fireworks this week,” said Chan.
The Yeangder TPC was last played on the Asian Tour in September 2019, when Yikeun Chang, also playing this week, became the first Korean to claim the title.
Chang is one of four former Yeangder TPC winners in the starting line-up at the event which is boasting a 40 per cent rise in purse to US$700,000.
It wasn’t staged in 2020, while last year it was played solely as a domestic event.
Last year’s winner Lee Chieh-po, from Chinese-Taipei, is another delighted to see the event back on the Asian Tour schedule.
Chan Shih-chang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s been a long time since we last played an Asian Tour event at home,” he said.
“I am really looking forward to it. I’m not thinking much about defending my title though, I just want to play my best and see what happens. It surely feels good to come back and play on a course where you’ve won before. I have had great memories from last year.
“I remembered playing solid for all four rounds to win and I had a good season on the local Tour overall last year as well. The course is in a better condition now compared to last year so I believe it will play tougher. It’s going to be a good competition this week.”
Cameron Smith, solid from the tee and spectacular around the greens, won the LIV Golf Invitational Chicago on Sunday, remarkably in only his second start with the LIV Golf Series. Report by Joy Chakravarty, in Chicago.
At Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove near Chicago, the 29-year-old Australian fired a three-under-par 69 with birdies on his last two holes to finish on 13-under par 203 in the 54-hole tournament. He eventually won by three shots over the American duo of Peter Uihlein (69) and Boston champion Dustin Johnson (70), who were tied second at 10-under par.
On Chile’s Independence Day, Joaquin Niemann continued his remarkable form, a 68 elevating him to tied fourth place alongside Spain’s Sergio Garcia (67).
In the Team Championship, it was the familiar sight of the Johnson-led 4Aces claiming their fourth successive title, edging Brooks Koepka’s Smash side. 4Aces finished on 24 under par, while Brooks’ younger brother Chase (67) was the star as he helped his side get to 23 under.
Phil Mickelson’s putter finally became hot, and he made six birdies in his last eight holes to propel his Team Hy Flyers to a joint third place alongside Smith’s all-Aussie Punch. Both teams finished on 17-under par total.
Cameron Smith (picture by Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
Among the Asian Tour players, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (70) was best-placed in tied 12th place at five under par. India’s Anirban Lahiri recovered from a stinging double-bogey start to card a 71 and finish on tied 21st place.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai shot his third successive round of 72 to tie for the 31st place at even-par, while his compatriot Sadom Kaewkanjana (74) and Aussie Wade Ormsby (72) were in tied 37th place. American Sihwan Kim (74) was tied 43rd at six over.
Smith started the day two ahead of Johnson, and even though the 150th Open champion struggled for the first few holes, he managed to stay ahead of his playing partners Johnson and Uihlein, who also were having trouble getting birdies.
The Brisbane golfer – who ranked number three in the world was the highest ranked player in the field – got things going with a fantastic birdie putt from 20 feet on the seventh, which was required after Johnson poured in his birdie putt from the fringe 15 feet away.
However, the expected battle between the two superstars fizzled out with back-to-back bogeys for Johnson on the eighth and ninth holes. And even though he made three birdies on the back nine, it was never going to be enough to catch Smith, who made seven birdies on the day.
Scott Vincent (picture by Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
“It was quite frustrating at the start of the day. My warmup wasn’t fantastic. I didn’t feel like I was striking the ball as well as I had the first couple of days,” said Smith.
“I just kind of stuck in there. There was a couple of really poor shots off the tee that led to a couple of really soft bogeys on quite easy holes, especially in the beginning when you want to get off to a pretty hot start.
“I think after that putt went in on the seventh and then on eighth, I started to feel a little bit better about myself and kind of got the round going again.”
Smith, who played a full season as an Asian Tour member in his formative years in the professional game, said he was looking forward to traveling to Bangkok in a couple of weeks.
“I think it’s fantastic. That’s one of the reasons why I came over here…to play golf around the world,” he added.
“I think my time when I was a young professional over in Asia are some of the best times of my life. Traveling with good friends and playing really good tournaments was something I’ll never forget.”
Anirban Lahiri (picture by Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
Vincent’s finish was his best on LIV Golf, bettering his tied 20th effort in the inaugural event in London.
“I am really proud of the way I played this week. I managed to keep the mistakes to a minimum, and I was quite solid on a very difficult golf course,” said the 30-year-old from Harare.
“It was such a fun week. I played with two legends of the game, and there was so much to learn from them. I have always admired Sergio (Garcia) growing up, and Henrik (Stenson) has been one of my recent favourites. To get a chance to play with those two was amazing.
“Hopefully, I can take my form to Bangkok, which is one of my favourite places in the world. The Asian Tour boys are going to have a bit of an advantage there with the condition and weather.”
Lahiri had a terrible start to the day when he three putted from four feet for a double bogey on the par-three fifth hole – his first.
“You really don’t want to have a start like that. I was playing catch-up after that. This whole week I haven’t really hit my irons well, so I am looking forward to seeing my coach (Vijay Divecha) in Bangkok and work on it,” said Lahiri, who is shifting his residence to Dubai in the next couple of months as he plans to play more events on the Asian Tour.
The LIV Golf Invitational Series will now move to Asia for the next two legs. The sixth leg will be held in Bangkok from October 7-9, before players compete in Jeddah from Oct 14-16.
On a day when the conditions were so tough that former world number one and overnight leader Dustin Johnson from the United States failed to break par for the first time in 14 rounds in his LIV Golf career, Australia’s Cameron Smith took advantage, banked on his trusted short game and opened a two-shot lead on top of the leaderboard at the LIV Golf Invitational Series Chicago, reports Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
At the end of the second round at Rich Harvest Farms, the reigning Open champion added a four-under -par 68 to his first-round 66 and moved to 10-under par 134. Johnson could only manage a 73 after his brilliant 63 on Friday, and slipped to second place at 136.
American Peter Uihlein shot the best round of the day – a 66 – and jumped up to solo third place. LIV Golf Invitational London champion Charl Schwartzel from South Africa (69) and England’s Laurie Canter (68) moved to tied fourth place at six-under par 138.
In the Team Championship, the top three are separated by just one shot, although the all-American 4Aces side continued to lead at 15-under par as they look for a fourth straight title on Sunday. The round also marked the first time that Johnson’s score did not count toward the team scores.
Smith’s all-Australian Punch team, which includes three-time Asian Tour winner Wade Ormsby, were second at 14-under, while Uihlein and compatriot Jason Kokrak (68) combined for a 10 under par contribution for the Smash team that took them to third place at 13-under par.
Dustin Johnson (picture by Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (71) was the best placed among the Asian Tour players, tied for 13th position at three-under par, while India’s Anirban Lahiri (71) – the Asian Tour’s top ranked player in 2015 who tied second in his LIV Golf debut in Boston – was joint 21st at one-under par.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai added a second straight 72 in the tournament and was tied 28th, while a double bogey on his closing hole (the 17th) saw his compatriot Sadon Kaewkanjana (76) slip to joint 36th place at two-over. American Sihwan Kim (76) was tied 43rd.
The day belonged to the highest-ranked player in the field, world number three Smith. He started the day three shots behind Johnson, and with the wind picking up, he had to fall back on his short game from the very beginning.
He kept battling with the turning point coming towards the end of the round, starting from back-to-back brilliant par saves on the 15th hole, where he made a 20-footer for par, and the tricky par-three 16th hole, where Johnson made a bogey to lose solo possession of the lead for the first time. With the wind dying down towards the end of the round, Smith closed with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th, and Johnson could only manage pars.
Smith insisted that nothing had changed in his approach to golf.
“I am just keeping everything the same, to be honest. Still doing the work at home and trying to come out here and win golf tournaments. My mentality hasn’t changed one bit. I think that’s why I’ve played so well the last couple weeks,” said Smith, who has made just one bogey in the 36 holes so far.
“We kind of had a bit of a gusty, windy start and then it laid off a little bit and got up a little bit towards the end. It was quite tricky through the middle at guessing clubs, and that’s where I made my bogey.”
Vincent, who is leading the Asian Tour’s International Series Order of Merit, has been playing consistent golf, but in his previous four LIV Golf starts, has not managed to translate it into a top-20 finish. It could all change on Sunday.
After a solid round that saw him battle the conditions and make two birdies and a bogey, Vincent said: “It was a very solid round given the conditions. It was very windy early in the round and the course was playing very tough today. Club selection was difficult and I just tried to stay in the present and not get too far ahead of myself. I thought I did a pretty good job of that.
“I don’t get too bothered by the results, so we will see what happens tomorrow. I am going to go out and pretty much do the same things again. If that gives me a top-five or a top-10 finish, then that is great. Otherwise, we will try again.”
Lahiri said he felt much better on the golf course, compared to the first round where he suffered from the after-effects of the flu.
Scott Vincent (picture by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
“The energy was much better and I played much better. But I am a little frustrated right now because I still made a number of silly mistakes. I could have saved at least three or four shots today, which, on a day like this, could have been crucial,” said Lahiri, who made four birdies.
“As things stand, I am too far behind Cam and he is playing excellent golf. But if I can get off to a good start, I can definitely aim for a top-five finish.”
The tournament offers US$20 million for the individual competition and the top-three teams share US$5 million in the team championship.
Dustin Johnson was unstoppable in the LIV Golf Invitational Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms as he opened with a bogey-free nine-under-par 63 to pull himself far away from the field, reports Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
It took the full might and the short-game genius of the reigning Open champion Cameron Smith to ensure Johnson’s lead was only three shots. The Australian was also bogey-free and made three birdies on either nines to finish with a 66.
American Matthew Wolff, who started from the second tee, eagled the par-five 18th, his penultimate hole, to move into third place with a 67, one ahead of Bedminster champion Henrik Stenson, Matt Jones, Lee Westwood and Charles Howell III.
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent were the best-placed among the Asian Tour players, tied 11th after returning 70s.
India’s Anirban Lahiri fought off the lingering after-effects of a bout of flu and made three birdies in his last four holes to put him in a good mood for the second round after carding 72. He was tied for the 28th place alongside Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmei, Australian Wade Ormsby and American Sihwan Kim.
Dustin Johnson (picture by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images ).
In the Team Championship, Johnson’s round gave the advantage to his team 4Aces as they once again claimed the lead at 11 under. That lead was trimmed by the fact that American Talor Gooch made closing bogeys in his round of 70. The all-Australian Team Punch, led by Smith’s 66 and bolstered by Jones’ 68, were at 10 under.
As his playing partner Lahiri said after the round, American Johnson “made it look like he was playing the course in a video game”. The only hole the 2020 Masters champion looked in any discomfort was the par-five 18th, where he had to fight for a birdie before settling for a par. Otherwise, in almost every other hole during the round, he was staring at birdie putts.
Having made a difficult course look easy, Johnson said: “I played really nicely, hit the ball really well. Hit it close to the hole a lot of times, all day long, so obviously put together a nice score.”
Johnson has finished in the top-10 in each of his previous four LIV events and when asked if this was one of the best stretches of golf he has played in some time, the two-time Major champion said: “Yeah, the game is in really good form. It’s been solid day-in and day-out, so seeing a lot of the same shots and being very consistent. That’s always what I’m looking for, just consistency in the flights and in what I’m trying to do. Obviously, right now, it’s going pretty well.”
Sadom, who missed a chance to possibly finish inside the top-five in Boston after an unfortunate double bogey against the run of play, made another bright start and was solid in his round of four birdies and two bogeys.
“I have been playing well, so I was looking forward to this tournament after Boston. As I said there, the key was going to be a good opening round, and I am glad I have managed to be in the red numbers,” said Sadom, winner of the SMBC Singapore Open this year.
“This is a difficult golf course. So, I have to make sure that I keep my focus throughout the next 36 holes and give myself and my team a better chance.”
Lahiri, the 2015 Asian Tour number one who turned heads with his gutsy debut in Boston where he finished tied second, caught flu on his way to Chicago and said he was still feeling the effects of anti-histamines he took on Wednesday.
“I just wasn’t mentally sharp, and hence I could not think clearly on the golf course. I was dull and I did not even have a good warm-up at the range. On the third, I hit it about 30 yards right of the target with a six iron and I was wondering what was going on. It was a struggle throughout the day,” said the 35-year-old, who was two over after the first four holes.
“I did manage to pull it back to even-par, and hit a couple of really good wedge shots coming in. But it did not help that while I was struggling, one of the best players in the world was literally playing ridiculous, lights-out golf next to me and making it all look so easy. He shot nine under, and it could have easily been 12-13-under par round.
Cameron Smith (picture by Alex Goodlett/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
“So, hope this congestion is behind me by tomorrow and I can do my normal stuff like find a few fairways and make a few birdies and close the gap a bit.”
With all Asian Tour players inside the top-30 on the opening day, it was the best round collectively for the Tour, in the four LIV Golf tournaments held so far.
Yikeun Chang is hoping a return to the scene of his sole Asian Tour triumph will provide the spark to reignite his career, writes Spencer Robinson, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour.
It was in 2019 that Chang wrote his name into the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) record books when he became the first Korean to lift the title.
As well as propelling him into the top-200 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), that success helped Chang to finish ninth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit standings.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Since then, it’s proved to be tough going for Chang, who has struggled to recapture the form that secured him that victory at Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
Entering the 2022 edition of the Yeangder TPC, which starts next Thursday, Chang has plummeted to 892nd in the OWGR. On the Asian Tour Merit list he’s currently languishing in 92nd spot having made the cut in just five of the 10 events in which he’s competed this campaign, with a best of 20th at the Trust Asian Mixed Stableford.
Particularly frustrating for Chang is that among the inconsistency there were bright spots last year with top-20 finishes in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and a joint sixth in the Tenerife Open, all on the DP World Tour.
Chang is one of four former Yeangder TPC winners in the starting line-up at the event which is boasting a 40 per cent rise in purse to US$700,000.
Prom Meesawat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Like the 28-year-old Korean, Lu Wei-chih (2011), Thai Prom Meesawat (2014) and Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu (2017) will all be seeking to draw on past happy memories at the venue.
Lu remains the only local player to have savoured success in the event in which he’s also posted two other top-five finishes. As is the case with Chang, the 43-year-old home hope will need to arrest a slide in fortunes that has seen him make just one cut in 10 outings this season.
Chinese Taipei fans will also be cheering for Chan Shih-chang and former Asian Tour stalwart Yeh Wei-tze.
A six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour, Chan triumphed in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in late 2021, the first event on the Asian Tour following a 20-month Covid-enforced hiatus.
As well as being the leading Chinese Taipei player on the Asian Tour Merit standings in 21st place, Chan has a decent track record at the Linkou layout, having finished fourth in 2013 and third in 2019.
There is sure to be a warm welcome, too, for Yeh, who turns 50 next year.
With his victory in the Malaysian Open in 2000, he became only the second player from his country to win on what was then the European Tour, following the great ‘Mr Lu’ Liang-huan.
Other players in the starting line-up who will also be under the spotlight include Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines and Thais Nitithorn Thippong and Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat.
Tabuena is a two-time runner-up in the Yeangder TPC, having been edged out by Prom in a play-off in 2014 before ending two strokes behind South African Shaun Norris in 2015.
For Nitithorn, the tournament offers a golden opportunity for him to close the gap on the two players ahead of him in the Order of Merit.
In the absence of Korean Bio Kim and American Sihwan Kim, Nitithorn will be setting his sights on a third Asian Tour triumph this season to go alongside wins in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard in India in March and the International Series Singapore in August.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old amateur sensation ‘TK’ is raring to return to Asian Tour action after a three-month break.
Winner of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in April, a strong performance for TK at Linkou International would be a timely confidence-booster ahead of his appearance in next month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, where the winner will receive starting spots in next year’s Masters Tournament and Open Championship.
“I have definitely missed the Asian Tour and I’m very excited to go to Chinese-Taipei next week,” said TK.
At the LIV Golf Invitational event in Boston, Kevin Na’s Ironheads – comprising Asian Tour members Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai and Sihwan Kim – were close to creating golf’s equivalent of a Great Heist, but a manic finish saw them lose out on a podium finish by one shot. Joy Chakravarty reports from Chicago.
After nine holes in Sunday’s final round at The International, the Ironheads were putting together a masterclass, racing five shots ahead of the mighty 4Aces, the Dustin Johnson-led, all-American team that has now won the last three Team Championships.
As it happened, Ironheads leaked shots coming in. Phachara hit a perfect-looking approach into his third last hole, but the ball smashed straight into his playing partner’s golf ball on the 5th green and ricocheted way back into the fairway for him to make a bogey. The Thai star proceeded to close with further back-to-back bogeys after that.
Sadom was six-under par through nine holes, before his third shot on the 11th hole hit a sprinkler head and disappeared into the bushes for him to make a double bogey against the run of play. He finished with another double bogey on the toughest hole of the golf course – the first – and that pushed the team outside the top-three that would have given them a podium place.
Phachara Khongwatmai (Picture by Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
More than a week removed from the event, captain Na still gets unhappy about the finish, especially when they had the chance to make a statement against the strongest team in the tournament.
“Sometimes, when you have an opportunity, you have to take it. You can’t let that slip away. It’s just like with winning a golf tournament. You get a chance to put the hammer down, you put it,” said the American, who turned 39 on Thursday.
“I was really frustrated how we finished in the end. I know those boys gave it their best. But I think, had they been slightly more aware of where the team was looking at the leaderboard, it could have been a different story.
“I played a practice round with Phachara on Tuesday and we played yesterday as a team, and the only thing I told the boys was to be more aware about the team position when on the golf course.
“Sadom played well that whole week and Phachara played decent. He was playing really good on Sunday, before the bogeys on the last three holes. I told him I wasn’t too happy about that.
“I know he was unlucky with the first bogey, but there was no excuse for the other two. And Sadom too…he was unfortunate to get the first hole, which is the hardest on the course, as his last. Once he was in trouble, he needed to take his medicine, and limit the damage to a bogey. That really cost us.
“It is what it is. A fourth-place finish, with how strong the other teams are on paper going by their world ranking, is a great result. So, we are doing good. I am proud of my boys.”
Na said he had great respect for Kim, who had opened his tournament in Boston with an 87, and then engineered a 24-shot swing the next day with a seven-under par 63.
“Can’t complain about Sihwan in Boston. He had COVID the week before and he was not fully recovered. He had not quite adjusted and he was struggling,” said Na.
“But in the second round, he came back and shot 24 shots better. That’s never been done before. That was quite remarkable and he gave us a chance in the team championship by making his round count. Unfortunately, he didn’t play well on Sunday.”
A modest Na said he was not sure if he was able to impart any lessons to his teammates as their captain, but believes the company of some of the all-time great players on LIV Golf would be a huge learning experience for them.
Sadom Kaewkanjana (Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour).
“I don’t know if I’ve done enough, but I think just playing with some of the best players in the world, some of these big names out here, I think it’s cool for them to compete and get paired with. It’s a good experience and it will help,” said Na, winner of five PGA Tour titles.
“I think they’re doing well. Phachara had a couple of decent finish. Sadom didn’t play well before, but he finally came good in Boston. Sihwan played well in Portland. They’re showing signs of breaking through and just need to be a little bit more consistent.”
Na said he had 100 percent faith in his team.
“I’m enjoying being a team captain. It’s fun. I’m trying to get more involved with the guys and trying to push my team,” said Na.
“In the beginning, I wasn’t sure who were going to be in my team (three Asian Tour spots are up for grabs through the International Series Order of Merit). So, there wasn’t so much of me playing a Captain’s role. But it’s different now as I know for a fact that we’re set for the rest of the year. I am trying to get these guys a little pumped up and excited.
“I honestly believe that we can still win. If not here in Chicago, then we will try in Bangkok. I told Phachara to go home after the tournament and make sure he gets plenty of practice at Stonehill (a brand-new golf course that opened earlier this year).
“And yes. I love Thai food, so I am also looking forward to both Phachara and Sadom taking us for out to some nice Thai restaurant for dinner.”
LIV Invitational Chicago begins at Rich Harvest Farms course from Friday, September 16.
A big cricket fan, Wade Ormsby knows the values and virtues of a good captain when he sees one. So, after all that’s recently happened with his all-Australian team in the LIV Golf Invitational Series, let’s say he is pleased as “Punch” where things are right now – writes Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
The 42 year old, playing the LIV Golf Invitational Series by virtue of his Order of Merit finish in the combined 2020-21-22 Order of Merit on the Asian Tour, greatly enjoyed the company of world number three and the reigning Open champion Cameron Smith as captain of Team Punch in LIV Invitational Boston.
Having experienced the camaraderie that came easily to the all-Australian members, Ormsby is in no doubt that the foursome is going to be a force to watch this week at the stunning Rich Harvest Farm in the outskirts of the Windy City.
Seventh in the inaugural event in London, where Ormsby captained the team, Punch finished in last place in Portland and 11th in Bedminster, before a much-improved showing at Boston a couple of weeks ago. The addition of Smith and Marc Leishman helped the team finish in tied sixth place, and the three-time winner on the Asian Tour is certain they are now trending in the right direction.
“It was great for Team Punch to have a nice boost with a couple of superstar players. They have a huge pedigree. Cam comes in fantastic form and Leish is a fantastic player. So, along with Matt Jones, who is playing good golf, I have three really strong guys as part of my team,” said Ormsby, a two-time winner of the Hong Kong Open.
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Straightaway, you can see Cam is a world-class player. He is right there at the peak of his powers. That just gave us a huge boost. I would have personally liked to play a fraction better than I did. But the game is coming back around now. So hopefully, I can be of more help.”
Ormsby has known Smith for a long time, but even he was left impressed at how he knuckled down and shut off all the noise going around him with his decision to quit the PGA Tour and join the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf Series.
“Obviously, he is a few years younger than me, but your paths keep crossing in international golf. We have a lot of similar interests and I have spent a bit of time with him,” said Ormsby, who plays mostly on the Asian and DP World Tour.
“There’s a lot going on around Cam. He is such a huge signing for LIV. So, there is that pressure as well, apart from whatever else good or bad is being said about him. But, I think once he gets inside the ropes and plays golf, he’s still playing tournament golf.
“I wasn’t surprised at all that he showed up and performed straightaway. He is obviously got a lot of good stuff in there. He is a great ball striker, he has got fantastic mental processes going on, and then there is his short game and putting… he is the best in the game there is.
“It’s nice being in the team box when someone’s playing as well as Cam is. It’s always nice to be around such people. There’s a lot of good stuff happening, a lot of good energy coming off them. As a team, we will try to feed off Cam. It’s only good when you’re around guys like that.”
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Thananuwat Srirasant/ Asian Tour.
Smith may be the motivator-in-chief for Team Punch, but Ormsby insists Leishman and Jones are adding tons of value to the team.
“Mattie is the same age as myself and we came through Australian golf at the same time and turned pro. Marc has had an amazing career, and he’s just a really good guy overall. I think all three of them are so down-to-earth, which makes it easy. There are no massive egos in the team, which is fantastic,” explained Ormsby, winner of the 2013 Panasonic Open India – his maiden Asian Tour title.
“It just makes it easy for anyone just to rock up and get along, even though I spend most of my career in Europe and Asia. It’s nice to click straightaway as a team.”
Ormsby played his first tournament on the DP World Tour way back in 2003, and while he is disappointed at the attempts being made to stop LIV Golf players from playing on it, he said he was looking forward to getting back full-time on the Asian Tour and play events back home in Australia.
“We’ve got an amazing new partner in Golf Saudi, and we all know how much they have supported the Asian Tour. I think it’s the most exciting time the Tour has ever seen. I’m just happy to be part of it. I’m happy to be over there a lot more,” said Ormsby.
“And it’s close to home. That’s fantastic for me. Any combination between LIV Golf and the International Series, and the fact that individual events on the Asian Tour continue to become stronger, is a very exciting schedule for me going forward.
“The Asian Tour is going to be high on the priority list for a lot of players around the world to come and play as it continues to evolve into a new, stronger Tour. The International Series is such an exciting addition to the existing Asian Tour. I know it’s going to be an enviable Tour worldwide.
“It’s been nearly 20-odd years I’ve played in Europe, so that’s kind of sad in a way that you’re not gonna go that way, but nothing is forever. There’s always got to be an end. I guess I am lucky that I have got these new opportunities and I’m really excited about it.
“We’re all in different phases of our life. I’ve got a young daughter and I want to be closer to her and see her grow up, but I still want to play world golf. I’m trying to compete at the highest stage I possibly can. I feel like the balance is back in my favour.”
At an important signing ceremony today at the Shinhan Donghae Open officials proudly announced that the prestigious tournament, one of Korea’s flagship tournaments, will be sanctioned with the Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organisation and Korean PGA Tour for an additional three years, from 2023 to 2025.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa won the event after a thrilling final round, which was played in Japan for the first time in its history, at Koma Country Club, and is the only tournament tri-sanctioned by the three Tours.
The popular Shinhan Donghae Open first became part of the Asian Tour in 2016, when Indian star Gaganjeet Bhullar was triumphant, and since then it has become an integral part of its schedule.
“The Shinhan Donghae Open is one of the solid, standout pillars of our schedule,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, of the Asian Tour.
“We are truly honoured that the Shinhan Financial Group have chosen to collaborate with us for many more years, which allows us to continue to grow the tournament into a regional property, attract even bigger audiences and further help facilitate the growth of the game in Asia.”
Held annually in Korea since 1981, the Shinhan Donghae Open was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korean PGA Tour in 2016 before becoming the first event to be tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan circuits in 2019.
“This week we heard former champion Gaganjeet Bhullar explain that just by being here and seeing the Shinhan Donghae branding on the course inspired him and made him realise just how much the tournament is close to his heart. This speaks volumes about the significance of the tournament, and its partners and organisers.”
It was hosted in Japan this week as Koma was overseen by Shinhan Financial Group’s founder Heuikeon Lee in the 1980s and the impressive venue is a special place for the Group.
Chairman and CEO of Shinhan Financial Group, Yongbyoung Cho said he hopes the tri-sanction agreement will continue the tradition of allowing each Tour player the chance to compete beyond the barriers of their country; in line with the Shinhan Donghae Open’s slogan: “To Continue The Tradition and Open The Future”.
Travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic meant it could only be played as a domestic event in 2020 and 2021, but the tournament, which this week saw some remarkable golf and low scoring, has returned to the international arena with a vengeance.
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit carded his second successive seven-under-par 64, helped by two eagles, to take the clubhouse lead in The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open today at Koma Country Club in Nara, Japan, upstaging an exceptional line-up of players from the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours.
The Thai golfer has won once before on the Asian Tour – in the 2018 UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan – but is now in uncharted territory in one of the region’s biggest and most prestigious events, moving to 14 under par at the halfway mark.
A 90-minute weather delay at the start of the day meant 32 players were unable to complete round two. Play will resume at 6.50am local time tomorrow.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa, currently ranked number one in Japan, came in with a 63 and is one back, while PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim from Korea, shot a 65 to sit a further stroke behind.
Japan’s Riki Kawamoto also fired a 65 and is 11 under.
First-round leader Richard T. Lee from Canada, who carded a course record 62 yesterday, is 11 under with five holes left.
Siwoo Kim. Picture courtesy Korean PGA.
“I am very excited to maybe play leading group at the weekend,” said Tirawat, also a winner on the Asian Development Tour.
“It is my first time playing this course, it’s great because I like the big greens, which helps me get more confidence. I am enjoying this new experience in the big time.”
He began on tee 10 and quickly raised the bar with eagles on 13 and 17, both par fives. He made four birdies and one bogey in total.
Higa has triumphed twice on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation this year and his fine form was once again on display when he put together a flawless round of eight birdies.
He said: “I am bogey free for two days now, that’s great. The greens are so soft which helps but you must stay out of the rough. I am pleased I finished before it got dark.”
In April he won the Kansai Open Golf Championship, and in June the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup.
The event’s star attraction Siwoo Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner, is lurking ominously going into the weekend.
“I just want to concentrate on myself without thinking about the others. I’d like to play the final two days like today and yesterday.”
Defending champion Yoseop Seo from Korea returned a 68 and is five under for the tournament, while his countryman Bio Kim, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot 67 and is four under.
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